SEATTLE — A month after starting in center field for the Phillies on opening day, Matt Vierling returns to the minors.
The Phillies sent Vierling to triple-A before Wednesday’s game here against the Seattle Mariners. A roster change was necessary to make room for starting left-hander Bailey Falter, although Zack Wheeler was expected to return Thursday from the COVID-19 roster and start against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Phillies could have cut a pitcher. .
Instead, they chose to demote Vierling, who was hitting .170 with a .472 OPS in 54 plate appearances, and kept the bullpen with 10 — count ’em, 10! – mitigators.
“I felt like he was struggling a little bit and that he needed to have consistent at-bats,” manager Joe Girardi said. “We hadn’t seen many lefties. His playing time was inconsistent. He feels like he’s in the middle. We just felt like it was the best thing for him, and the best thing for him will be the best thing for us.”
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Vierling, 25, earned a spot in center field in spring training and played every day at the start of the season because Mickey Moniak broke the fifth metacarpal in his right hand on the eve of Opening Day.
But Vierling got off to an 0-for-15 start and gradually began to lose playing time once center fielder Odúbel Herrera returned from the disabled list two weeks ago. After starting 10 of the first 14 games, Vierling was in the lineup in just six of the last 16, mostly against left-handed pitching.
“You can start to push a little bit when you’re young,” Girardi said. “And it’s one thing if you know you’re playing every day. But when you’re not playing every day, you have to sit and sit, and it probably gets even more difficult. I think he’s getting a few at-bats under his belt just to get it going, right?
Still, the timing of the move is curious. Vierling is a right-handed hitter, and the Phillies are scheduled to face three left-handed starters (Tyler Anderson, Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urias) in a four-game series at Dodger Stadium beginning Thursday night.
But the Phillies also thought they needed pitching reinforcements for the series finale against the Mariners, with Falter stretched for only about 60 pitches. Falter’s numbers will be sent back to triple-A to get Wheeler back on the roster.
The Phillies also brought in six outfielders to compensate for Bryce Harper, who is unable to throw because of a flexor tendon strain in his right elbow. With switch Roman Quinn listed to back up Herrera, Vierling got even less playing time.
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“This is a kid that we really believe in,” Girardi said. “We really believe that he is going to have an impact for us. We just have to get him on the right track.”
Wheeler and fellow starter Zach Eflin went on the COVID-19 list on Sunday. Although Wheeler was due to meet with the team in Los Angeles, Eflin’s status remained uncertain, according to Girardi.
A player may be listed for COVID-19 for a variety of reasons, from testing positive to being considered a close contact. The requirements for reinstatement also vary. Vaccinated players must be cleared by MLB; unvaccinated players are not cleared until they submit two negative PCR tests.
Girardi cannot speak about the circumstances that landed Wheeler or Eflin on the COVID-19 list. When asked what Wheeler, in particular, has been able to do in recent days to stay active, the manager was not specific.
“He kept his arm moving,” Girardi said.
Wheeler hasn’t pitched since May 4 against the Texas Rangers. He’s been on a roll lately, pitching 13⅔ scoreless innings in his last two starts.
With a day off Monday, the Phillies won’t necessarily need a fifth starter until the May 21 home game against the Dodgers, though they are hopeful of getting Eflin back much sooner.
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Backup catcher Garrett Stubbs started for the fifth time in 31 games. … Moniak has started swinging in the batting cage at the Phillies’ complex in Clearwater, Florida. He probably still has a few weeks left to play in games. … Left-handed reliever JoJo Romero faced hitters in live batting practice in Clearwater. Romero is two weeks away from the first anniversary of his Tommy John elbow surgery. … The Phillies will face Anderson (3-0, 2.78 ERA) in the opener against the Dodgers at 10:10 pm Thursday night. They thought they acquired Anderson before the trade deadline last year, but the Pittsburgh Pirates called off the deal over concerns about the health of Phillies pitching prospect Cristian Hernandez.
Reference-www.inquirer.com